ECUADOR'S POSITION OF PERUVIAN BOUNDARY QUESTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000700120019-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2012
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: September 7, 1963
• Content Type: CABLE

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V? 1'OL: EHLubensky.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Ecuador Desk,-Offic'er, ARA
Amconsul GUAYAQUIL
Amembassy -SANTIAGO, BUENOS AIRES,
-Amembassy .QUITO-
DATE:S
_io
Ecuador's Position .of Peruvian Boundary Quest
IZ .
On August- 31? the 'Ecuadorean Foreign . Minister, . Nei a1
PONCE.Miranda, handed Ambassador Bernbaum- an'officialfemoran-
dum setting forth Ecuador's present position on . tl e Ecuador-
Peru boundaryproblem, The Memorandum, which wasaddres
-to each _ of the -.states guaranteeing the Protocol of Rio
Janeiro of. January 29, 1942 ;- '-referred -to the. recent- res
tion.by the Peruvian 'Chamber. of -Deputies calling. for -a uni=
lateral placing of boundary markers in the so-.far. undema-rcated
-Zamora-Santiago region. It.states'that.faced with this
Peruvian-resolution, Ecuador. is obliged to point out .to ti.e.
- Cua antor States that. any unilateral. -action, -by- Peru would--be
completely. arbitrary., illegal, and. without any validity in
establishing-the true boundary. -The-Memorandum refers to the
geographic error (lack .of a waters.h ed between the Zamora and
Santiago Rivers)* contained in -.the:.. Rio :.Protocol with. respect-
to .tt-ii-s zone, stating that because of =this error the Protocol
::be .enforced in the Zamora-Santiago region .. It points
cannot
that because.of this error. the work .of establishing the:
boundary was interrupted 15.:years-ago and that nothing-has
happened 'since to, justify resumption at this ..time... : -t-ne iMiemo-
randum reiterates Ecuador's position that .the, Rio Protocol as
a.whole violates-- international- law and. that the entire question
sho ld.he submitted to juridical procedures to determine its
b?'' ore the r nc- 1 nf.' the organization of
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CONFIDENTIAL A-135-from Quito
2
American States on July 24, 1962. The Memorandum quotes the -
'Ecuadorean'Foreign Minister's ' public statement of August 17', 1963,.
(not a'note to Peru as stated in Embtel 152). protesting any
unilateral placement of boundary markers and insisting the geo
graphi.cal-error.in the Protocol leaves, it as unenforceable now.
.as it was. 15. -years. ago.: ,(See Embtel 110)
On September ' I, the Junta published 'its ",political plan" for
Ecuador outlining. itspr'oposals'for a new social and economic.
structure of the nation. In'this plan'the Junta, in a-rather
mild and matter-of-fact tone, ,. proclaimed. the question of Ecuador's
.
territory .as one, of primary concern-to the Government.
COMMENT: The Memorandumhanded the Ambassador was strong yet
not inflammatory in tone.. It :appears to be an unambiguous statement
of.. -Ecuador.. s. position and a: repeated appeal. that the, question of
.the Protocol be submitted. to a juridical solution; This Memorandum,
however, . plus, the statement concerning the territorial question in
the Junta's "master-plan" for E.cuador,,Jndicate.the degree to which
the boundary -.question -is an active.-and potentially'-explosive issue.
The Embassy has ' attempted-. to discourage, .continued public- discussion'
of the boundary question, but the:-recent Peruvian resolution and
the' nationalistic fervor engendered.by-Ecuador's celebration lash
week 'ofd the 400th anniversary of. Ithe Audiencia de Quito. (see -Embtel
-:143) 'have , .again, brought the issue:.;to' pub lie consciousness .
Although Ecuador.:is'-,ready:: o.,submit~ the .problem to an.:inter=.
would expect
national.. juridical solution, it is implicit that It
and. strive..for-, a: decision. off. '.r unity",.. thus .allowing Ecuador . to
:start over from, the .situation existing before the. Peruvian military
-action -in .1941-42, the ."only ."just'' solution 'really -acceptable to
Ecuador.- This. iss a.step better ,.than VELASCO' s unilateral. dec lara~
? tion of "nullity`'; but.. does -not' appear. to go. so ,far .as accepting.
minor- revision of the Protocol., whether as the .result of- a-
.decision. by an international body or- of bilateral agreement, to
allow-final determination . of:the boundary in the.undemarcated
sector. Although the Junta is.`pinning its. legal argument more on
the inexecutability.of the Protocol.because of the' geographical
CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL A-135 from Quito
3
Text and unofficial translation of Ecuadorean Memorandum.
* They. are in effect the dame -river, -the Zamora becoming ' the
Santiago-at the village of La Union where the Rio-Namangoza
joins the main stream.
CONFIDENTIALI
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"error", the alleged "criminal aggression"-by Peru is still in the
back of its mind as the principal emotional and political basis
for invalidity of the-,1942 Rio Protocol.
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Enclosure to A=135
from Quito.
UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION.
The Minister of Foreign :Relations of Ecuador considers it
.necessary to point out to the Foreign'Ministries of the Guarantor-
States of the Protocol of January 29, 1942,.-.the following points:
The Chamber of "Deputies of. Peru, in its session of-August
to erect'boundary markers 'in. the Zamora-'Santia'go - region.
.16, 1963,-approved a motion'to'the effect that. Peru, inviting.
the Guarantor States to witness - the operation, proceed unilaterally
? Faced with- this attitude on ,the. p.art-- of- the Peruvian Chamber'
of:Deputies the Minister of Foreign Relations of Ecuador,
.hastens to make clear to:-the'. c.hatelleries of . the .Guarantor States
of the -Protocol.:tha.t.;any unilateral - placement-.-of- boundary- markers
:'by ; Peru 'would` be an .' act .'absolutely. -arbitrary, lacking 'any-validity
in determining: `the. true boundary, and without legality according
..
4. The, Foreign - Ministries. of the'Guarantor States are well aware
:Of the reasons. for:the.'-interruption7of the work of.demarcating
the boundar"y.,15:?years:. ago,. Wiese reasons -have- not" disappeared,
nor has Peru_..during all of .-this.. period,-been able -to refute them.
Because of- this, .: it'..i.s obvious ,that Ecuador has had to -oppose _at
all times. any attempt : o''.enforce -the =Protocol in .this area, with
respect to which' the Protocol contains: an essential. geographic
error.
The'Memorsndum`present:ed.:.o;the' Guarantor States. on July 29,.1959,
'
since no. watershed :'ekisted.- bet een 'the' Zamora ' and 'Santiago' Rivers;
or. to- continue : the ...demarcat.z.on,.-where 'there was no. Valid, agreed
the' : Protocol .6.f-. January ` .9', :194:2; . in the Zamora-Santiago region ,
because of .. factors. "imposed by nature., i t. was impossible -to enforce -
boundary.. in tie .Zamora-Santiago sector: Ecuador .reiterated that,
clearly .the.?fmpos.. lit:y of eoiit nuing-..the' attempt to demarcate' a',
by Ecuador :;.through it' Anmliassador. to
Rio- de Janeiro' - "who ' .was-
f -the :Guarantors - established
received by .the;' representatives. :o
The Ecuadorean:-Government ..has. clearly expressed its point of
"view with respect to this 'sti 11=unsettled problem- with: Peru. d'.d
On July 24,'.19.62,. the constitutional President of Peru ? 1ff fo`rmal
speech before the Council of the. Organization-.of American Sates
-
.in Washington, stated
"It is the law:in the Americas.that all existing -
problems, or those which may arise; in the Continent
must be resolved by peaceful and juridical meanso A
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 Enclosure to A-135 from Quito
-serious problem exists . between. Ecuador and Peru. The
Protocol of -January. 29, 1942, is absolutely incompatible
.with the. fundamental principles and'norms of American
problem. To date, there has not been evi'denced a similar readiness-
international.law. Ecuador is ready to submit the
dispute with Peru to one-of the instruments for peaceful
settlement--ofinternational controversies -contained in
inter-American agreements- now in-force. Continental
solidarity requires that a just solution to.this dispute
be found, which would -permit the two - countries to begin
a fruitful cooperation and intimate relationship for
the common good."
'As.-can be :seen, Ecuador . has expressed before 'the Americas its'
readiness to seek a-peaceful and juridical solution to the
Respect for- treaties does. not exclude the possibility. tha.t a
treaty may. violate international law, and that, for. that
juridical conscience-of the Americas;-..would'exalt and- strengthen'..
process by international law, far from.: injuring the
reason, a.juridical proceeding.'may.-establish its invalidity. 'It is
necessary to distinguish between the revision of a treaty and the::
nullification of a treaty: revision may be achieved through the..
.mutual agreement of parties to, the:"-treaty, but nullification does
.,-not necessarily' depend upon cosent - of all- panties:, if -the nullifi
cation is. a consequence of the violation. of fundamental norms o.f'-'
law. For this reason, nullification, as the result of a-juridical
In conformity..with this -criteria; -the.-Foreignn Ministry. -of.
:taming the following '.points e
f":. the -boundary, made .=a publicdeclaration:on.August; 17; :1963,. con
of-Deput ies..of-'Peru concerning.. the proposed unilateral demarcation
s,-.Ecuador, having knowledge of' the motion approved by .?the Chamber
"As= the Protocol of 1942 violates- international' law,
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it must be subject- to juridical procedures for. a- determination
of its invalidity; Until such procedures are carried out,."it is.
,. obvious that Ecuador must oppose the .proposed execution of the
Protocol,'particularly in a sector-with respect to which the
Protocol contains an essential-error;. The unilateral demarcation
of the boundary proposed by the Chamber of Deputies. of Peru.
would clearly be.improper, since any demarcation having to be,
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Enclosure'to A-135 from Quito
by its nature, 'a combined operation of both.parties, this unilateral
action would be without legality. Such action would be even more
improper since, apart from the serious reasons maintained by
Ecuador for-the invalidity of the Protocol, it would be proposed
that a boundary be demarcated in an area with respect to which
the Protocol is unenforceable due to a geographical error contained
in it because of the inexistence of 'a watershed between the Zamora
and Santiago Rivers which itself establishes the physical inexistence
of a boundary line'. For this reason the work of establishing the
boundary has been interrupted since. 1948.. Thus this problem was
clearly defined 15 years ago.
Quito, ..August. 31,.-1963...
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M E M O R A N D U M Enclosure to A-135
from Quito
El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores del Ecuador considers.
necesario hacer.presente a las Ilustres Cancilleri.as de los Estados
Garantes del Proto.colo de.29'de enero de 1942 los siguientes
puntos
en el sector.Zamora-Santiago..
La Camara de'.Diputados del Peru; en sesibn de 16 de agosto
de-1963,.ha'aprobado una moci-6n en el sentido de que el
Peru, invitando a los'Estados Garantes para.que-se.hagan presentes
en la'operacibn, proceda;unilateralmente a la.colocacibn de hitos
3, Ant semejante actitud de la .Camara ''de Diputados del Peru,
el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores; del Ecuador se
apresura a.poner, de manifiesto.ante lac ilustres. Cancillerias
..de los Estados Garantes del:Protocolo "que cualquier.ereccion..
unilateral. de hitos- de par. te" de aque. 1 pals. seria un.'reecho
-absolutainente arbi-ttario, carent'e de valor demarcatorio y
.-desprovisto de .toda, juridicidad, segfin las no'rmas del Derecho.
4. .Las Cancillerias de los.Estados Garantes del Protocolo.de
..1942'conocen:a cabalidad las razones por las cuales fub interrum-
Aida la- de'marcacibn.hace quince.anos, Esas razones no han
desaparecido'ni hanpodido a lo.largo de.todo este tiempo ser
-refutadas por'el Peru.. Y por ello es obvio que el Ecuador-ha
debido oponerse en todo momento a la pretendida ejecucibn del
Protocolo en.un sector-.respecto_del'cual'.el instrumento adolece
de' error geografico esencial.
1l Memorandum.que presentb_el Ecuador a los. Estados*Garantes
el Ecuador. que-,. por la naturalez.a de. las cocas,. es -. imposible
:ejecutar el Protocolo de'29 de enero de 1942, en la'zona afectada
por la"inexiStencia del'divortium aquarum.entre el rio Zamora y
.el-rip-.Santiago y p.roseguir la . demarcacibn donde - no. hay .linea
-
Rio de-Janeiro - quien.fue re'cibi.do en'el seno'de la Junta. de
.Garantes - dejb'perfectamente eistable"cida=la imposibilidad de-
proseguir-la=demarcaci6n en- el - sector Zamora-Santiago.
el. 29'. de Julio de 1959,. por ntermedio- del Embaj ador en
vAlidamente acordada.
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..del Derecho International Americano.. El Ecuador- se
.mantiene-dispue'sto a someter*la.cuestion can el Peru.
a uno de hos medios'de solucion pacifica de las contro-
versias.internacionales'consagrados en las'convenci.ones
in.teramericanas-vigentes. La.solidaridad'continental.
exige que se de a .este litigio uria solucion junta, , que
permitiria que.los dos pafses inicien-una fecunda
cooperaci6n y estrecho intercambio para comun bene'icio:r'
-Enclosure to A-135
from Quito.
6-. .E1 Gobierno.ecuatoriano ha expue-sto claramente su'criterio,
respecto al problema pendiente con el Peru. El dia 24 de
julio de 1962, el Presidente'Constitucional del Ecuador,. en .
discurso formal que pro.niincio en- Washington,. ante .el Consejo -
-de la Organization de los Estados Americanos,.dijo:
r'Es , ley en' America. que todos los problemas que -
existan.o se produzcan en el Continente-deben ser'
resueltos por medics pacificos y juridicos. Entre
.. e .Ecuador y'. el. Peru hay un grave problema pendiente.
El Protocolo_de 29 de enero de 1942 es absolutamente
incompatible con los principios y normas fundamentales
fundamentales del'.Derecho. Tor eso, la nu-lidad,-como resultado
de un- proceso ju.ridico impues-to. por _ la ley in'ternac-ional, lej os .
de herir la conciencia juridica- de America., la enaltece y consolida
. Partes;.Pero la'.anulacinn.no.depende necesariamente de:ese
consentim ento...'si es c.onsecuencia -de. la vio.laci6ri -de.:normal:
tratado: la.revisi6n.se hate por mutuo-consentimiento de Las..
distinguir entre -la, revision -de:-.un' tratado y is nuaidad .de - un
.-'juradico que:- Ilegue a...establecer..'su. invalidez. Es preciso
8. l redo a suitedtviofaFgrni edgc1auy e? posibilidad de que
internaclona y e que se saga por. o tanto un procedimiento
buscaruna solucion pacifica y juridica..'De parte-del.
Peru no ha habido todavia reaction alguna en-ese sentido.
7..' Como se ve,.:el-Ecuador expreso ante. America su voluntad de:
En conformidad con. ese -crtterio, t.a l:anci.L.Lerl.a uel tL:uduui,
al tener conocimiento: de-la motion-aprobada en_la-Camara
de Diputados del.Peru,.sobre.la.pretendida demarcation unilateral,
entreg6, . con fecha 17 .de agosto de .-1,963, un. Comunicado - en los
siguientesterminos:
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- 3 - Enclosure to A-135
from Quito
"Siendo 'como es el Protocolo-de 1942.violatorio de la-
ley internacional tiene que estar'sujeto al procedimiento
juridico que establezca su invalidez. En tanto no secumpla
ese-procedimiento,-es?obvioque el Ecuador se ha de-oponer
a la pretendida ejecuc-ion del Protocolo, en un -sector respecto
del.cual el iristrumento adolece, ademas, de error esencial.
-La demarcacion unilateral-que pretende.la Camara de Diputados
del-Peru serfa yin claro contrasentido, pues debiendo toda
demarcacion ser, por'su naturaleza, una operacibn 'conjunta
de las ?Partes,, esa accion unilateral careceria- de: juridiciuad.-
Y.-el contrasentido seria tanto mayor cuanto que, aparte
:de las Parses,- e.sa.ac.cibn unilateral careceria de juridicidad.
.Y.el contrasentido seria Canto mayor cuanto.que, aparte de
-a.causa de la inex.istencia de la- divisoria de'aguas entre
ei 'rio? Zamora".y = el rio' Santiago, que determi_na aun_ 'la inexis-
tencia fisica de linea de.frontera.. Por eso se detuvo_ la
.obra demarcator`ia desde 1948. Quedo- asi este problema
las. graves causal Para -la ' invalidez que invoca el-Ecuador,
:se pretenderia, ademas, demarcar una zona en la cual el.
Protocolo resulto inejecutable -'por- error, -geograf.ico- eseincial,
firmemente esi
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